Presents

qÜÉ=_êáíáëÜ=áåÇÉéÉåÇÉåí=éëóÅÜçäçÖáÅ~ä=Üçêêçê=Ñáäã= ilkalk=sllall= táíÜ=ãìëáÅ=Äó=píÉîÉå=pÉîÉêáå=Ñêçã=páçìñëáÉ=C=qÜÉ=_~åëÜÉÉë=

RUNNING TIME: 98 mins CERTIFICATE: TBA

ZEN FILMS 199 Plough Way, London, SE16 7FN United Kingdom

Telephone : +44 (0)20 7237 3021 Fax : +44 (0)20 7394 8578 Mobile : +44 (0)7802 805 294 Email : [email protected]

Cast Biographies

Doug Cockle (Lincoln) “When I read the script a lot of it rang true for me - I really had to have a good look at myself”. Doug is great as Lincoln Mathers and adds this lead role to his long list of film appearances in films such as Reign of Fire, The Spy Game and The Tailor of Panama and Band of Brothers.

Sara Stewart (Sarah) “It’s a cracking role, there are not many of roles around for women that are this challenging”. Sara’s first feature role was as Princess Alexandra in multi-award winning film Mrs Brown (two Oscar nominations, two BAFTA awards, one Golden Globe) and her next role will be as Martha Wayne – Batman’s mother – in Batman Begins scheduled to hit screens in 2005.

Sven-Bertil Taube (Lars) “The script blends the spiritual life with the function of the business, family and wife, and then something very strange hits them. I find that fascinating….it plays with these magical landscapes in a very bright and interesting way.” Sven-Bertil is a household name in Scandinavia with a career spanning fifty or so years. He has appeared many films in his homeland, Sweden, and of course international hits such as The Eagle has Landed and Puppet on a Chain. Sven-Bertil was winner of the Guldbagge award for best actor in 1995 for the film Handerna, and won a nomination for best actor two years later at the same awards for the film Jerusalem in which he co-starred with his London Voodoo colleague Michael Nyqvist.

Michael Nyqvist (Magnus) “I was curious about what would happen, I had to keep turning the pages and try not to look at the end”. Michael won the best actor award in the Gijon Film Festival in 2000 for his portrayal of Rolf in Lukas Moodyson’s Together and received Sweden’s Guldbagge award in 2002 for best actor in the film Grabben i graven bredvid. He was also recently voted Sweden’s sexiest man!

Vonda Barnes (Kelly) “As soon as I read the script I couldn’t put it down”. Previously with successful, chart-topping girl group Madasun Vonda sang at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Since then she has worked as a TV presenter and a model. London Voodoo is Vonda’s first acting role.

Trisha Mortimer (Fiona) “She never really adjusted to the loss of her husband, she blocked out the world”. Trisha is popular with Horror fans the world over for her appearances in Frightmare and Schizo although she also has a long list of film, TV and stage appearances.

London Voodoo Page 2 of 14 Ref:PR4

Reviews

“Without question, London Voodoo is the best horror film playing at RiverRun” “Writer/director Robert Pratten makes an auspicious feature debut with this smart chiller, which wisely eschews gore and camp humor for a more low-key droll approach. As a result he injects vigor into a well-worn genre” tfkpqlkJp^ibj=glrok^i=

“LONDON VOODOO brings back the glory of that classic horror film feel” “Story-driven, LONDON VOODOO doesn’t need to rely on gore or special effects” “top notch performances to the point of boiling reality” ======`fkbj^=kl`qrok^=

“the British horror revival continues apace with this well-produced, stylish, unnerving supernatural thriller” “..a gripping horror flick using the subtleties of growing menace rather than special effects” “..the growing tension never flags…well worth checking out” =c~åÖçêá~=Ejg=páãéëçåF=

“it grabs you from the beginning taking you on a ride and doesn’t let up until the very end” “a movie that will make you think twice before moving into a new home” ==eçêêçêJtÉÄKÅçã=

“one of the finest pieces of narrative horror in film in recent years” “a subtle, adult horror film in a style reminiscent of Nick Roeg’s Don’t Look Now” =táääá~ã=pÅÜÉáåã~å=EÜçêêçê=ïêáíÉêF=

“Robert Pratten offers a psychologically suspenseful metaphor for modern times” “Pratten has such a sure-handed control of mood and tone. His cast offer nuance performances that don’t veer into outrageousness even as the movie grows more bizarre and unnerving around them” cfij=cbpqfs^i=qla^v=EgÉêÉãá~Ü=háééF=

London Voodoo Page 3 of 14 Ref:PR4

“London Voodoo is genuinely disturbing. I loved it! It’s sure to become a cult classic” g^ab=cçñI=eçêêçê=ÅÜ~ååÉä=rh=

"London Voodoo" is a very well made film and the best film I've seen so far from Heretic Films” “It’s got an uncomfortable feel like "The Exorcist" and the freakiness of "Serpent of the Rainbow” qÜÉ=Üçêêçê=êÉîáÉï=

“The slowly-building tension grabs hold of the viewer right from the start”

”What’s better is the story, seemingly straight-forward, that anticipates expectations and turns sharply down another path”

cáäã=qÜêÉ~í=

“This is one uncompromisingly directed, brooding mystery-thriller, which generates plenty of claustrophobic and eerie chills on its way to a gripping and satisfying denouement”

”London Voodoo is a remarkable calling card for a very promising new filmmaker” qÜÉ=wçåÉ=

London Voodoo Page 4 of 14 Ref:PR4

Screening History

Mar 2004 Fearless Tales Genre Fest (www.fearlesstales.com) San Francisco, USA WINNER: BEST DIRECTOR and BEST ACTING

Mar 2004 NY Indie Film Festival Los Angeles, USA WINNER: BEST HORROR FILM

Apr 2004 RiverRun International Film Festival Winston-Salem, USA

Apr 2004 World Horror Con 2004 Phoenix, USA

May 2004 Commonwealth Film Festival Manchester, UK

Jun 2004 New FilmMakers Programme Los Angeles, USA

Jun 2004 Boston International Film Festival Boston, USA WINNER: BEST JURY AWARD for NARRATIVE FEATURE

Aug 2004 Rhode Island International Film Festival RI, USA

Aug 2004 15th Festival of Fantastic Films Manchester, UK WINNER: BEST FEATURE

Oct 2004 Two Boots Pioneer Theatre New York, USA

Oct 2004 New York City Horror Film Festival New York, USA WINNER: BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Oct 2004 Saints and Sinners Film Festival Florida, USA

Oct 2004 Australian Centre for the Moving Image Melbourne, Australia

Oct 2004 The Rojo Sangre Film Festival Buenos Aires, Argentina

Oct 2004 Exofest Edmonton, Canada

Nov 2004 SciencePlusFiction 04 Trieste, Italy

Nov 2004 Horror Fiesta Warsaw, Poland = =

London Voodoo Page 5 of 14 Ref:PR4

Crew Biographies

Robert Pratten (Director/Writer) LONDON VOODOO is Robert Pratten’s debut feature film. Robert started in film making 5 years ago when he started at the London Film School in Covent Garden, London, England. He has directed several short films and worked in various other film crew roles though primarily as director of photography.

Helen Pratten (Executive Producer) Helen Pratten is a Partner at a “big four” chartered accountancy firm working in the private equity group. In preparation for London Voodoo, Helen worked on Robert’s short films in various crew roles from clapper loader to runner. She has a first class honours degree in economics, a professional chartered accountancy qualification and an MBA from Manchester Business School.

Steven Severin (Composer) Steven Severin is bass player and songwriter with legendary group Siouxsie & The Banshees. The Banshees were formed in 1977 and helped shape and define punk. They are also often accredited with giving birth to Goth music. Steven is a critically-acclaimed solo artist with four albums to his name (Visions of Ecstasy, Maldoror, The Woman in the Dunes and Unisexdreamsalon). He and his wife Arban Ornelas have formed a new group, Darling Hate, which provide additional music for London Voodoo including the song for the opening titles.

Patrick Jackson (Cinematographer) Patrick Jackson was born in Sweden in 1979. He later graduated from Sweden’s Documentary Film School and attended the Stockholm Film School before coming to England in June 2000 to complete his studies at the London Film School. It was here that Patrick met Robert. Patrick has directed more than 10 fiction and documentary short films and has worked as Director of Photography on over 20 shorts. London Voodoo is his first feature. He is currently writing a feature-length screenplay and shooting a documentary that intermittently takes him to Japan.

London Voodoo Page 6 of 14 Ref:PR4

Short Synopsis

When ambitious New York analyst Lincoln Mathers (Doug Cockle) relocates his family to England, his wife (Sara Stewart) unearths London’s disturbing past and becomes hostage to an ancient spirit. When Mathers finally notices that his wife is not who she was, he’s forced to accept that his family’s only salvation lies in a leap a faith.

London Voodoo Page 7 of 14 Ref:PR4

Synopsis

LINCOLN MATHERS (Doug Cockle) is an ambitious New York analyst trying to balance work and family life. He and his attractive wife SARAH (Sara Stewart) and daughter BETH (18 month baby, Grace Sprott) relocate to England and move into an old Victorian house in Greenwich, London. Things appear to be going well until Sarah uncovers a buried tomb in the house cellar. She convinces Lincoln to keep it a secret but it soon seems as though everyone might know something about their find: people like the kind Bohemian woman FIONA (Trisha Mortimer) or KELLY (Vonda Barnes) the troubled au pair with designs on Lincoln. At work, Lincoln is given an important project to prove himself and it forces him to neglect the changes occurring at home: food is going rotten sooner and flowers are dying, Sarah is taking less care of her appearance and becoming more sexually overt. She’s also drawing and sculpting symbols that she doesn’t understand. Local voodoo followers RAY (David Webber) and RUTH (Jacqueline Boatswain) believe that the spirit of an African warrior from West Africa now inhabits Sarah’s body. They make plans for an exorcism but when they approach Lincoln to get him involved, he refuses to listen. It’s not until Ray’s accidental death and Sarah’s worsening state of mind that Lincoln accepts Fiona’s offer to help. She tells him that he must place his trust in voodoo. Still Lincoln isn’t ready to believe and we learn that Fiona has her own agenda – she’s preparing her own ritual to be reunited with her dead husband and she needs Sarah’s involvement. While Lincoln is out, Kelly, believing that Sarah’s erratic behaviour is due to mental illness, sedates her with sleeping tablets – leaving the way clear to make an advance on Lincoln. But things don’t go her way when he has to work all through the night to complete a presentation for the Swedish client represented by LARS (Sven-Bertil Taube) and MAGNUS (Michael Nyqvist). Lincoln oversleeps at the table and in the morning rushes to work tired and unwashed. But when he lies about having been up all night with Beth, he makes an unexpected bond with his client and he realises that his priorities have been wrong all along. Feeling low but with this new realisation, Lincoln comes home to tell Sarah that he’s going to change and he’ll put her and Beth first. But it’s all too late. Sarah has already packed to leave and reacts violently to Lincoln’s plea for her to stay. Sarah says she’ll stay for one night only on the basis that Fiona comes over. But when Fiona arrives all hell breaks loose. It’s the final straw that pushes Lincoln to turn to the voodooists for help and take a leap of faith. Initiated into the voodoo cult, Lincoln races back home to find the house desecrated with crude iconography and deadly traps sprung to prevent him capturing Sarah. In a breathtaking climax, Lincoln holds a violent and frenzied Sarah captive and struggles to make an emotional connection with a wife held hostage to a warrior spirit. He’s a young man that wants the best for his family. But when a spirit possesses his wife, we are reminded that true love must be fought for and won. This supernatural thriller is told through strong characters, violent confrontations and erotic revelations.

London Voodoo tells us that true love is only possible with sacrifice.

London Voodoo Page 8 of 14 Ref:PR4

Director’s Statement

“This is an intelligent psychological horror with moments we can all relate to and others, with the grace of God, we never will.”

This is not a film about Voodoo Forget whatever you think you know about voodoo films because this one is a million miles from anything you’ve seen before. It’s not a slasher flick or a teen horror. It’s not a film that uses CGI effects or prosthetic monsters and there are no zombies - flesh-eating or otherwise. It’s a gripping psychological horror made possible by outstanding acting and lots of heart-thumping suspense. This is a high concept, mass-audience genre film that satisfies the soul: the characters are three-dimensional and believable. We share their journey as they plunge from daydream into nightmare and we care about whether they live or die. We’re right there on the edge of our seats, piecing together the clues and making decisions for them. The pace of the film increases almost exponentially –starting at a comfortably fast pace and finishing with an adrenaline-pumping full-throttle supersonic rush. But don’t worry if you’re faint-hearted, because along the way there are spellbinding, beautiful moments to catch your breath. When the film’s 100mins are over you’ll want to see it all again.

Universal themes This is a film about a marriage breakdown caused by a husband’s ambition and exacerbated by extraordinary (supernatural) events. There are moments we can all relate to and some we pray we never will: the balancing of work and family life, the anxieties of moving to a new community, the days when things just don’t go right and the days when the best we can do is take a leap of faith. London Voodoo is a great supernatural thriller in the tradition of Don’t Look Now, The Tenant and Rosemary’s Baby – it’s contemporary, suspenseful, eerie and erotic. Its premise is that “true love” is only possible with sacrifice and while the plot scares us, the sub-plots warm us with explorations of the nature of love and relationships; of ambition and pride.

Attention to detail This is possibly the first feature film to treat voodoo with respect and show it as a misunderstood religion that can offer solutions for people in their every day lives (as well as the exceptional circumstances at the film’s climax!). The film plays with the audience’s expectations of voodoo as a force for evil until it’s time to reveal that voodoo can actually be a force for good. Desk research into voodoo, Santeria, the history of West Africa and the Amazonian-type warriors of Dahomey was conducted using the Internet and books and enhanced with first-hand trips to Brazil, Cuba, Miami and New Orleans.

London Voodoo Page 9 of 14 Ref:PR4

Further Reading

Voodoo, Santeria and Amazons of Dahomey • Voodoo – Search for the Spirit (Harry N. Abrams) ISBN 1584728574 • Voodoo Charms and Talismans (Robert Pelton) published by Original Publications; ISBN 0942272501 • Saneria The Religion (Migene Gonzalez-Wippler) published by Llewellyn Publications; ISBN 1567183298 • Warrior Women – The Amazons of Dahomey and the Nature of War (Robert B. Edgerton) published by Westview Press; ASIN 0813337119 • Amazons of Black Sparta (Stanley B. Alpern) published by C Hurst & Co Ltd; ISBN 1850653623

Voodoo Internet Resources • Possibly the best www.members.aol.com/racine125/index1.html • More voodoo from Haiti www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/voodoo/voodoo.htm • Voodoo in the UK groups.yahoo.com/group/vodou_uk/

Zen and Zen Buddhism • An Introduction To Zen www.ks.essortment.com/intoductionzen-riej.htm • Understanding Zen Koans www.mtmt.essortment.com/zenkoanspiritu_rlmp.htm • About Buddhism www.geocities.com/Tokyo/5215/dharma.html

Books to read if planning to give up work • Reality Hacking - unusual ideas and provocations for reinventing your work (Nicola Phillips) published by Capstone; ISBN 1-900961-10-5 • Synchronicity -the inner path of leadership (Joseph Jaworski) published by McGraw Hill; ISBN 1-57675-031-0 • Advanced Selling Strategies (Brian Tracy) published by Simon and Schuster; ISBN

London Voodoo Page 10 of 14 Ref:PR4

Voodoo Interview with Director

21st Century Voodoo Even though the film gets pretty scary and supernatural, I wanted the voodoo to remain Set a film in Haiti or New Orleans, and there’s completely believable. I wanted people to think bound to be at least one reference to Voodoo. that this is the sort of thing the girl next door Make it a horror film, and you’ll likely see at least might be into. After the Muti killings we’ve had in one scene of half-naked people possessed, London over the past few years, a voodoo film in sacrificing chickens and turning into zombies. But London was overdue but I didn’t want to follow all Voodoo in London? That’s a whole new bag. the clichés and denigrate a religion that’s Demonized in film since the 1930s, Voodoo is followed by 60 million or so people worldwide! I getting a fair shake in the new supernatural think we’ve got a beautiful, eerie, gripping thriller” thriller London Voodoo written and directed by So what happens to the hero in London Voodoo? Robert Pratten and produced by Zen Films. “Voodoo helps our central character gain some

perspective. He’s a modern guy, he doesn’t Why Voodoo? “What attracted me to Voodoo is follow any religion - except possibly the cult of that there’s no concept of heaven and hell. It’s pride and greed - and then one day his situation likely that London Voodoo is the first feature to deteriorates to the point where the Vodoussaint give Voodoo proper respect,” says Pratten who are the only people to whom he can turn for thoroughly researched the subject even travelling help.” to Miami, New Orleans, Cuba and Brazil to learn about the religion first hand. “We’re inverting Any last words? “Although the title says it, people’s perception of what’s right and the films not really about Voodoo, per say. It’s wrong...good and evil.” about people making sacrifices for love”.

So, what’s good and what’s evil? There’s at least two possessions, a Voodoo initiation, an exorcism. “Work is the real evil in the film” says Pratten. “We’re working ourselves senseless. We’re so caught up in deadlines and proposals and office politics that, by the time we get home, we’re too exhausted to notice what’s going on with our families. Our whole lives fly by.”

But, what about the Voodoo stuff? No sacrifices? No demons? No blood? “The film is set in contemporary London, so we’re putting our own interpretation on Voodoo & Santeria.

London Voodoo Page 11 of 14 Ref:PR4

Credits

Robert Pratten Director & Writer Jimmy Odell Runner Patrick Jackson Cinematographer Ed Rodrigues Runner Ryan Chandler Sound Recordist Matthew Jessee Editor Laure Bregevin Script Supervisor Fiona O’Connor Costume Designer Jeremy Larkin Stills Photographer Michelle Watson Hair & Make-up Designer Daneeta Loretta Saft Documentary Maker Steven Severin Composer Kasper Cornish Choreographer Assistants Cast Sarah Tapscott Costume Assistant Colette Keoghan Production Assistant Doug Cockle Lincoln Mathers Jeremy Clarke Location Assistant Sara Stewart Sarah Mathers Neil James Art dept. assistance Grace Sprott Beth Mathers Vonda Barnes Kelly Additional Support for Location Scenes Trisha Mortimer Fiona Helen Slaymaker Costume Assistant Sven-Bertil Taube Lars Danielle Bendick Make-up Assistant Michael Nyqvist Magnus Stacey Kutzak Make-up Assistant Jacqueline Boatswain Ruth Anthony Tarr Gaffer David Webber Ray Johnny Horsfall Runner Roy Borrett Jeff Chris Gamm Runner Dickon Tolson Lee Basil King Boom Stunts & Special Effects Steve O’Halloran Roger (Lincoln’s boss) Peter Brayham Stunt co-ordinator Carmen Abela Sue (Lincoln’s secretary) Dani Biernat Fiona’s stunt double Kevin Stone Realtor (estate agent) Tony Lucken Stunt driver Tony Edridge American businessman Bob Smoke Special effects Tony Freeman McAlistair Claire Belhassine 2nd Secretary Set Construction Noel Keoghan Lincoln’s colleague Kasey Coory Construction Camera & Lighting Dept. Richard Sommerlad Construction David Gray Painter Patrick Jackson Cinematographer Karl Hui Focus Puller Voodoo Followers Anna Carrington Clapper Loader Pamela Hall Canelle Hoppé Najaf Bilgrami Key Gaffer Bambi Nikki Brown Graham Clayton-Chance Grip & Gaffer Patricia Jones Denise Mack Ben Wisdom Camera Dept. Runner Joyce McKenzie Anne-Marie Olufuwa Sound Dept. Amy Rockson Patricia Scott-Cumming Jackie Stirling Ulrike White Ryan Chandler Sound Recordist Denise Worme John Burns Boom Operator Voodoo Drummers Art Department Delroy Brown Valentine Hanson Rebecca Pilkington Production Designer Justin Joseph Joanna Pratt Art Director Aya Fujii Art Director New York Hotel Players Daniela Faggio Art Director David Kinchlea Man in lift Sarah Whittle Assistant Art Director Matthew Jessee Drunk colleague Yun-Jung Ko Assistant Art Director Daneeta Loretta Saft Porter Christophe Spurling Assistant Art Director Erika Okvist Prosthetic corpses Prospect Lane Players Production Alan Pratten Man in street Harry Pratten Boy 1 in Street Helen Pratten Executive Producer Charlie Pratten Boy 2 in Street Robert Pratten Producer Anthony Cooper Paperboy Ben Siegle Line Producer Steve Taylor Removals Man 1 Ben Scriven 1st Assistant Director Barry Slattery Removals Man 2 Ed Siegle 2nd Assistant Director Jon Roberts Taxi Driver 1 Gavin Sorohan Production Supervisor John Hudson Taxi Driver 2 James Hobson Post Production Supervisor

Vanessa Bolton Production Planner James Hobson Runner Indian Restaurant Players

Noel Keoghan Man 1 Jon Curl Man 2

London Voodoo Page 12 of 14 Ref:PR4

Additional Blackheath Players Thanks to Adam Hagberg Policeman Lucy Siegle Dave Doherty Miranda Cook Police woman Jayne Deeley David & Jo Kinchlea Ron Scriven CID officer Abby Cook Gary Bettesworth Ed Siegle CID officer Kal Siddique Lisa McKibben Mark Brown Ambulance Man 1 Harry Rushton Hugh Newsam A Tooke Ambulance Man 2 Steven Segal Richard Verney Paul Mackenzie Ross Heaven Office Players Canary Wharf Group plc. Tom Allen R Baxter Blair Mark Bolton Vanessa Bolton David Yeo at The Television Set Andrew Brown Jon Curl Martin Carr at Destiny Films Catriona Dowse J Firth Cecilia Good M Greenway Mr Kahn at The Sitar Indian Restaurant Matt Harris Laura Henderson Clive Hillier J Hudson The film units of the London boroughs of Southwark, Chris Jepps Noel Keoghan Greenwich, Tower Hamlets and Westminster Colette Keoghan Nicola Kerr A Special thanks to the following companies who kindly Tim Kerry Robert Manning provided products and services Steve Melhuish Danny Olliver Mats Olsson Annoula Peppas Bo Concept Doug Ponsford James Stamp Bridal Rogue Gallery T Valder Conor Whelan Britannia Tusons John Womersley M Womersley BUBA Crystal Clear Leisure Photographic Players Grant Butler Coomber Jonathan & Linda Siegle Mr & Mrs Mathers Sr. Guzzini Arthur Ankrah Fiona’s dead husband Ideal Standard Bathrooms Alan & Sarah Pratten Kelly’s parents Iron Bed Company Joy Brown backpacking friend John Lewis Helen Pratten backpacking friend Linea Home Metal Cot by DIS Support Services & Advisers Neisha Crosland Stuart Lewin Poster & logo design News International Elaine Gamm Payroll Co-ordinator Orange Charles Russell Solicitors Legal Services Orla Kiely Heath Lambert Group Insurance Rogers & Cowan The Clearing House Film clearances Subaru Motors AAA Catering Location catering Emergency Enterprises Ambulance at Blackheath Filmed on Fuji Colour film Taxi services Metropolitan International Film sound mixed at CFS, London CTS Cabs Music mixed at Wolf Studios, London Music soundtrack available from RE:records Equipment Ownership of this film is protected by Copyright and Camera & Grip Ice Film applicable laws. Any unauthorised distribution, Lighting Direct Lighting duplication, or exhibition of this film will result in Sound The Cruet Company criminal prosecution as well as civil liability. Rigging LGH Ltd

Neg Processing Bucks Labs The events and characters depicted in this motion Telecine The Television Set picture are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons,

living or dead is purely coincidental. Living Room Art Filmed at 3 Mills Studios and various locations in London. Lucy Marks Shaun McDowell See www.londonvoodoo.com for the latest news and downloads.

© Zen Films 2004 live life: enjoy the journey

London Voodoo Page 13 of 14 Ref:PR4

London Voodoo Page 14 of 14 Ref:PR4